Palm oil | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/palm-oil
Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2018Sun, 18 Feb 2018 05:38:10 GMT2018-02-18T05:38:10Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2018The Guardianhttps://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttps://www.theguardian.com
Nestlé, Hershey and Mars 'breaking promises over palm oil use'https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/27/nestle-mars-and-hershey-breaking-promises-over-palm-oil-use-say-campaigners
<p>This year’s Halloween confectionery will contain palm oil grown on land that should lawfully be habitat to orangutans, rhinos and clouded leopards, despite commitment to clean up supply chains</p><p>Nestlé, Mars and Hershey have been accused of breaking pledges to stop using “conflict palm oil” from deforested Indonesian jungles, just days before the annual Halloween confectionery frenzy.</p><p>The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) says consumers have been “deceived” by promises from the brands to clean up their supply chains which were subsequently delayed, revised or watered down.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destruction">Pepsico, Unilever and Nestlé accused of complicity in illegal rainforest destruction</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/27/nestle-mars-and-hershey-breaking-promises-over-palm-oil-use-say-campaigners">Continue reading...</a>EnvironmentPalm oilBusinessNestléIndonesiaDeforestationFood & drink industryTrees and forestsConservationAsia PacificWorld newsSat, 28 Oct 2017 09:10:52 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/27/nestle-mars-and-hershey-breaking-promises-over-palm-oil-use-say-campaignersPhotograph: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyArthur Neslen2017-10-28T09:10:52ZMedan in the spotlight: a city on the edge of the global palm oil tradehttps://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/oct/02/medan-spotlight-global-palm-oil-trade-indonesia-sumatra
<p>Situated on the island of Sumatra, Medan has thrived off the multibillion dollar palm oil trade. But the controversial business comes at a destructive cost</p><p>Indonesia’s fourth biggest city is a bona fide oil town – only, the above ground kind. Close to 4 million acres of palm oil plantations on the island of Sumatra, Medan helps feed a controversial <a href="https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/palm-oil-market">$65bn global business</a> that seeps into foodstuffs, cosmetics and biodiesel – an estimated <a href="http://greenpalm.org/about-palm-oil/what-is-palm-oil/what-is-palm-oil-used-for">50% of supermarket products</a>, in fact. The profits seep back into the city, which has more than doubled in size in 20 years to around 2.5 million people – condominiums, hotels and amusement parks greased by this liquid gold. This week sees Medan’s Santika Premiere Dyandra hotel host <a href="http://palmoilexpo.com/">Palmex</a>, Asia’s only trade event dedicated to the industry.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/sep/26/enugu-spotlight-50-years-flame-biafra-independence">Enugu in the spotlight: 50 years on, the flame of Biafra still burns</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/oct/02/medan-spotlight-global-palm-oil-trade-indonesia-sumatra">Continue reading...</a>CitiesIndonesiaAsia PacificWorld newsPalm oilEnvironmentDeforestationMon, 02 Oct 2017 10:55:47 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/oct/02/medan-spotlight-global-palm-oil-trade-indonesia-sumatraPhotograph: Bay Ismoyo/AFPPhotograph: Bay Ismoyo/AFPPhil Hoad2017-10-02T10:55:47ZCameroon palm oil campaigner arrested in crackdown on activistshttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/29/cameroon-palm-oil-campaigner-arrested-crackdown-activists
<p>Nasako Besingi has been jailed after opposing a US-funded palm-oil plantation and supporters say this is linked to Cameroon’s ‘anglophone crisis’</p><p>A prominent campaigner against palm oil plantations has been arrested amid a growing crackdown on environmental and human rights activists in Cameroon, according to local lawyers and NGOs.</p><p>Nasako Besingi, who has led opposition to a US-funded 73,000 hectare farm in a biodiverse rainforest, is among more than 100 individuals who have been detained during an escalation of tension between the predominantly French-speaking authorities and the country’s large English-speaking minority.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/29/cameroon-palm-oil-campaigner-arrested-crackdown-activists">Continue reading...</a>CameroonPalm oilHuman rightsAfricaEnvironmentLawWorld newsUK newsDeforestationTrees and forestsConservationFri, 29 Sep 2017 17:03:17 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/29/cameroon-palm-oil-campaigner-arrested-crackdown-activistsPhotograph: Robert Meyers/GreenpeacePhotograph: Robert Meyers/GreenpeaceJonathan Watts2017-09-29T17:03:17ZTawai: A Voice from the Forest review – Bruce Parry's earnest odyssey to the heart of Borneohttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/29/tawai-a-voice-from-the-forest-review-bruce-parry-documentary-borneo
<p>Veteran film-maker Parry hangs out with a tribe of hunter-gatherers and seeks wisdom with Indian gurus in a well-meaning but woolly documentary</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/29/bruce-parry-interview-borneo-penan-documentary">‘Our desire for goods is at the heart of this’: Why Bruce Parry wants us all to live more sustainably</a></li></ul><p>British film-maker <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/bruce-parry">Bruce Parry</a> worked for many years making ethnographic documentaries for the BBC (Tribe, Amazon, Arctic) about extreme environments and the indigenous people who lived in them. Now having struck on his own, he’s made this well-meaning but rather woolly doc, co-directed by Mark Ellam, about Parry’s quest to understand … well, it’s not really clear. </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/29/bruce-parry-interview-borneo-penan-documentary">'Our desire for goods is at the heart of this': Why Bruce Parry wants us all to live more sustainably</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/29/tawai-a-voice-from-the-forest-review-bruce-parry-documentary-borneo">Continue reading...</a>DocumentaryFilmCultureMalaysiaPalm oilEnvironmentAsia PacificWorld newsIndigenous peoplesBBCMediaFri, 29 Sep 2017 12:06:53 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/29/tawai-a-voice-from-the-forest-review-bruce-parry-documentary-borneoPhotograph: Munro Film ServicesPhotograph: Munro Film ServicesLeslie Felperin2017-09-29T12:06:53Z'Don't just rely on NGOs': finding solutions to deforestationhttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/finding-solutions-deforestation-ngos-partnerships-pledges
<p>How can food companies stop contributing to deforestation? A panel of experts discussed solutions at a roundtable in New York</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/companies-zero-deforestation-pledges-agriculture-palm-oil-environment">Companies’ ‘zero deforestation’ pledges: everything you need to know</a></li></ul><p>Half of the world’s rainforests have been felled in a century. If deforestation carries on at the same rate, they may be <a href="https://viewer.gutools.co.uk/global-development-professionals-network/2017/jan/23/destroying-rainforests-quickly-gone-100-years-deforestation">gone in 100 years</a>. Food companies are a big part of the problem; agriculture is the <a href="http://www.fern.org/capreform">largest single cause</a> of forest loss. And they are also part of the solution, with <a href="http://forest-trends.org/releases/p/supply_change_2016">hundreds making commitments</a> to stop deforestation.</p><p>But as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/13/chocolate-industry-drives-rainforest-disaster-in-ivory-coast">deforestation continues</a>, what more can companies do? This was the question put to experts from the private, NGO, government and finance sectors at a recent roundtable on the topic, held in New York.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/17/hsbc-investigation-palm-oil-company-deforestation-allegations-noble-plantations">HSBC triggers investigation into palm oil company over deforestation allegations</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/finding-solutions-deforestation-ngos-partnerships-pledges">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessDeforestationPalm oilConservationEnvironmentTrees and forestsBrazilFri, 29 Sep 2017 09:28:57 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/finding-solutions-deforestation-ngos-partnerships-pledgesPhotograph: Bruno Kelly/ReutersPhotograph: Bruno Kelly/ReutersAnna Leach2017-09-29T09:28:57ZCompanies' ‘zero deforestation’ pledges: everything you need to knowhttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/companies-zero-deforestation-pledges-agriculture-palm-oil-environment
<p>Corporations globally have made hundreds of commitments on deforestation. But what do these pledges really mean and why do scandals keep happening?</p><p>Whether it’s the destruction of rainforest shared by elephants and orangutans <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destruction">in Sumatra</a> to produce palm oil; reports linking fast food giants to the burning of tropical forests <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/01/burger-king-animal-feed-sourced-from-deforested-lands-in-brazil-and-bolivia">in Brazil and Bolivia</a>; or the hundreds of thousands of hectares of tree cover loss per year <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/13/chocolate-industry-drives-rainforest-disaster-in-ivory-coast">in West Africa</a> – the world’s forests are being razed to sate global demand for produce such as palm oil, beef and cocoa.</p><p>As of March 2017, 447 companies had made 760 commitments to curb forest destruction in supply chains linked to palm oil, soy, timber and pulp, and cattle – principal forest-risk commodities – <a href="http://forest-trends.org/releases/p/supply_change_2017">according to NGO Forest Trends</a>. But what does this mean? And why do deforestation scandals keep emerging?</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/28/alarm-as-study-reveals-worlds-tropical-forests-are-huge-carbon-emission-source">Alarm as study reveals world’s tropical forests are huge carbon emission source</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/companies-zero-deforestation-pledges-agriculture-palm-oil-environment">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessEnvironmentPalm oilDeforestationConservationTrees and forestsGreenhouse gas emissionsClimate changeIndonesiaBrazilBusinessAfricaWorld newsAsia PacificAmericasFri, 29 Sep 2017 08:41:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/companies-zero-deforestation-pledges-agriculture-palm-oil-environmentPhotograph: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesTess Riley2017-09-29T08:41:00ZFrom algae to yeast: the quest to find an alternative to palm oilhttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/algae-yeast-quest-to-find-alternative-to-palm-oil
<p>The race is on to develop an eco-friendly substitute for palm oil but, as Ecover discovered, the path can be bumpy</p><p>When green cleaning company Ecover announced the launch of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/02/ecover-algae-laundry-liquid-palm-oil">new laundry liquid</a> containing an oil made from algae, as an alternative to the palm oil used in most detergents, it wasn’t prepared for the backlash.</p><p>The problem? The algae producing the oil were genetically modified. “We put everything on hold,” says Tom Domen, global head of long-term innovation at Ecover, following reactions to the 2014 product trial. </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/02/ecover-algae-laundry-liquid-palm-oil">Ecover adopting algae-based laundry liquid to cut palm oil use</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/algae-yeast-quest-to-find-alternative-to-palm-oil">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilScienceEnvironmentFri, 29 Sep 2017 06:00:17 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/29/algae-yeast-quest-to-find-alternative-to-palm-oilPhotograph: Niklas Adrian VindelevPhotograph: Niklas Adrian VindelevLaura Paddison2017-09-29T06:00:17ZLeuser ecosystem: one of most biodiverse places on Earth under threat – in pictureshttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gallery/2017/sep/28/leuser-ecosystem-biodiverse-elephants-tigers-rhinos-orangutans-under-threat-pictures
<p>The Leuser ecosystem spans 2.6m hectares into the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra. It’s the only place in the world where tigers, orangutans, rhinos and elephants coexist in the wild. But it’s under threat from agricultural industries, including palm oil</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/28/last-place-on-earth-deforestation-palm-oil-threat-leuser-rainforest">‘The last place on Earth’: how Sumatra’s rainforest is being cleared for palm oil</a></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gallery/2017/sep/28/leuser-ecosystem-biodiverse-elephants-tigers-rhinos-orangutans-under-threat-pictures">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilEnvironmentIndonesiaDeforestationConservationTrees and forestsAnimal welfareAnimalsBiodiversityWildlifeAsia PacificWorld newsThu, 28 Sep 2017 08:54:21 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gallery/2017/sep/28/leuser-ecosystem-biodiverse-elephants-tigers-rhinos-orangutans-under-threat-picturesPhotograph: Paul HiltonPhotograph: Paul Hilton2017-09-28T08:54:21Z'The last place on Earth': how Sumatra's rainforest is being cleared for palm oilhttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/28/last-place-on-earth-deforestation-palm-oil-threat-leuser-rainforest
<p>Sumatra’s Leuser ecosystem is the only place where orangutans, rhinos, tigers and elephants coexist. But palm oil companies continue to clear it, claims NGO</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gallery/2017/sep/28/leuser-ecosystem-biodiverse-elephants-tigers-rhinos-orangutans-under-threat-pictures">Leuser ecosystem: one of most biodiverse places on Earth under threat – in pictures</a></li></ul><p>A palm oil company is continuing to clear forest in a fast-diminishing elephant habitat in Indonesia’s Leuser ecosystem despite being the subject of two reports into illegal deforestation, according to a prominent environmental organisation.</p><p>The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) published <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/rainforestactionnetwork/pages/17920/attachments/original/1499897185/Leuser_Watch_PT_Agra_Bumi_Niaga_July2017_%281%29.pdf">a study</a> in July accusing plantation owner PT Agra Bumi Niaga (ABN) of growing oil palms on illegally deforested land in the Leuser ecosystem, in Aceh province, northern Sumatra. </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destruction">Pepsico, Unilever and Nestlé accused of complicity in illegal rainforest destruction</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/07/bornean-orangutan-declared-critically-endangered-as-forests-shrink">Bornean orangutan declared ‘critically endangered’ as forests shrink</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/15/the-eco-warrior-taking-a-chainsaw-to-indonesias-illegal-palm-oil-plantations">The eco-warrior taking a chainsaw to Indonesia's illegal palm oil plantations</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/28/last-place-on-earth-deforestation-palm-oil-threat-leuser-rainforest">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilEnvironmentDeforestationConservationTrees and forestsIndonesiaBiodiversityWildlifeAsia PacificWorld newsThu, 28 Sep 2017 08:47:54 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/28/last-place-on-earth-deforestation-palm-oil-threat-leuser-rainforestPhotograph: Paul HiltonPhotograph: Paul HiltonNaomi Larsson2017-09-28T08:47:54ZWhen fines fail, how can companies be made to pay for deforestation?https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/27/when-fines-fail-how-can-companies-be-made-to-pay-for-deforestation
<p>Indonesian companies fined for deforestation have not been required to pay up thanks to lengthy court appeals. Campaigners push for tougher action</p><p>Nearly a year after an Indonesian court ordered a timber company to pay country’s largest ever fine for deforestation, the government has been unable to collect the money, prompting campaigners to call for tougher sanctions against illegal loggers.<br></p><p>Merbau Pelalawan Lestari (MPL), a timber company, has launched a case review against the court’s decision to impose a <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/11/18/landmark-court-ruling-expected-to-serve-as-deterrent.html">16tn rupiah fine</a> (£900m), which it incurred for illegally deforesting nearly 2,000 hectares of Sumatran forest.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/27/when-fines-fail-how-can-companies-be-made-to-pay-for-deforestation">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessDeforestationTrees and forestsEnvironmentConservationIndonesiaPalm oilWed, 27 Sep 2017 08:15:29 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/27/when-fines-fail-how-can-companies-be-made-to-pay-for-deforestationPhotograph: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty ImagesOliver Balch2017-09-27T08:15:29Z70% of brands in Malaysia and Singapore don't disclose palm oil usehttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/21/70-of-brands-in-malaysia-and-singapore-dont-disclose-palm-oil-use
<p>WWF rated 47 regional companies and found the majority have no public policies or commitments on sustainable palm oil sourcing </p><p>A new scorecard rating companies headquartered in Singapore and Malaysia on their palm oil sustainability commitments has found that the majority do not disclose any information on their sourcing practices.</p><p>The WWF Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard surveyed 47 companies, all household brands in Malaysia and Singapore, asking how far along the path they were to sourcing 100% certified sustainable palm oil. Only 16 disclosed any information.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jun/26/palm-oil-business-consumers-sustainability-indonesia-leuser-mondelez-marks-spencer-lush">'It’s up to us': why business needs to take a stand on #palmoil</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/nov/11/indonesia-forest-fires-explained-haze-palm-oil-timber-burning">Indonesia's forest fires: everything you need to know</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/21/70-of-brands-in-malaysia-and-singapore-dont-disclose-palm-oil-use">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilEnvironmentBusinessFoodMalaysiaSingaporeWed, 20 Sep 2017 23:01:18 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/21/70-of-brands-in-malaysia-and-singapore-dont-disclose-palm-oil-usePhotograph: Bazuki Muhammad/ReutersPhotograph: Bazuki Muhammad/ReutersLaura Paddison2017-09-20T23:01:18ZDemand for biofuels is increasing global food prices, says studyhttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/20/demand-for-biofuels-is-increasing-global-food-prices-says-study
<p>Using crops for fuel is putting pressure on food prices says a new analysis, which calls for an end to food-based biofuels</p><p>Demand for biofuels made from food crops, such as palm and rapeseed oil, has led to an increase in global food prices and needs to be curbed, according to a new<a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/te/files/publications/Cerulogy_Thought-for-food_September2017.pdf"> analysis</a>.</p><p>There has been a <a href="http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/agriculture-and-food/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook-2017-2026/growth-in-biofuel-production-2000-26_agr_outlook-2017-graph14-en">surge in the production</a> of biofuels in Europe and the US since the early 2000s, backed by policies designed to cut use of fossil fuels, such as the first<a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32003L0030"> EU biofuel directive</a> in 2003.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/apr/04/palm-oil-biofuels-meps-eu-transport-deforestation-zsl-greenpeace-golden-agri-resources-oxfam">MEPs vote to ban the use of palm oil in biofuels</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/20/demand-for-biofuels-is-increasing-global-food-prices-says-study">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilBiofuelsGreenhouse gas emissionsFoodFood securityWed, 20 Sep 2017 08:52:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/20/demand-for-biofuels-is-increasing-global-food-prices-says-studyPhotograph: Adek Berry/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Adek Berry/AFP/Getty ImagesTom Levitt2017-09-20T08:52:05ZThe eco-warrior taking a chainsaw to Indonesia's illegal palm oil plantationshttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/15/the-eco-warrior-taking-a-chainsaw-to-indonesias-illegal-palm-oil-plantations
<p>Biologist Rudi Putra is leading a movement to restore the region’s tropical rainforests, which are home to many endangered species</p><p>Armed with a chainsaw and a copy of Indonesia’s environmental laws, biologist Rudi Putra and his team of eco-warriors have been identifying and cutting down illegal palm oil plantations and recovering the lost forests of the <a draggable="true" href="https://www.ran.org/lastplaceonearth">Leuser ecosystem</a>.</p><p>For decades, the exuberance of the largest rainforest in Indonesia’s north Sumatra region, has succumbed to the rapid expansion of illegal palm oil plantations, threatening the habitats and endangering the lives of orangutans, rhinos, tigers and elephants.<br tabindex="-1"></p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destruction">Pepsico, Unilever and Nestlé accused of complicity in illegal rainforest destruction</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jun/26/palm-oil-business-consumers-sustainability-indonesia-leuser-mondelez-marks-spencer-lush">'It’s up to us': why business needs to take a stand on #palmoil</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/15/the-eco-warrior-taking-a-chainsaw-to-indonesias-illegal-palm-oil-plantations">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilLand rightsEnvironmentDeforestationConservationTrees and forestsIndonesiaAsia PacificFri, 15 Sep 2017 06:00:02 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/15/the-eco-warrior-taking-a-chainsaw-to-indonesias-illegal-palm-oil-plantationsPhotograph: Rudi PutraPhotograph: Rudi PutraLaura Villadiego in Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia2017-09-15T06:00:02ZSix farmers shot dead over land rights battle in Peruhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/06/six-farmers-shot-dead-over-land-rights-battle-in-peru
<p>The victims were targeted by a criminal gang who wanted to use their lands to grow lucrative palm oil, according to local indigenous leaders </p><p><br><br>Six farmers have been shot dead by a criminal gang who wanted to seize their farms to muscle in on the lucrative palm oil trade, according to indigenous Amazon leaders in Peru.</p><p>Local leaders in the central Amazon region of Ucayali say the victims were targeted last Friday because they had refused to give up their land. </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2017/jul/13/the-defenders-tracker">The defenders: recording the deaths of environmental defenders around the world</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/06/six-farmers-shot-dead-over-land-rights-battle-in-peru">Continue reading...</a>Land rightsIndigenous peoplesEnvironmentPeruAmazon rainforestPalm oilDeforestationWorld newsAmericasWed, 06 Sep 2017 17:04:37 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/06/six-farmers-shot-dead-over-land-rights-battle-in-peruPhotograph: Jason Edwards/Alamy Stock PhotoPhotograph: Jason Edwards/Alamy Stock PhotoDan Collyns in Lima2017-09-06T17:04:37ZShould vegans eat palm oil?https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/05/vegans-palm-oil-plant-based-diet-cruelty-free
<p>The ubiquitous vegetable oil is plant-based so fits with a vegan diet, but its production can harm rainforests and biodiversity</p><p>As marketing slogans go, <a href="https://notfrom.com/">NotFrom.com</a> offers something aspirational. Stacked on the virtual shelves of this new online vegan supermarket are row upon row of “animal and planet cruelty free” products.</p><p>Only it’s not quite that simple. Yes, all of the products are plant-based and free from animal inputs. But, beyond this the line between what is and isn’t cruel to the planet gets hazy. </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/04/some-of-my-best-friends-are-vegans-says-jeremy-corbyn-but-im-not-one">Some of my best friends are vegans, says Jeremy Corbyn, but I’m not one</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/05/vegans-palm-oil-plant-based-diet-cruelty-free">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilEnvironmentFoodFood & drinkVegan food and drinkVeganismLife and styleTue, 05 Sep 2017 06:00:34 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/sep/05/vegans-palm-oil-plant-based-diet-cruelty-freePhotograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz / Barcroft Im/Wiktor Szymanowicz / BarcroftPhotograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz / Barcroft Im/Wiktor Szymanowicz / BarcroftOliver Balch2017-09-05T06:00:34ZHong Kong closes busy beaches after palm oil spill clogs coasthttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/07/hong-kong-closes-busy-beaches-after-palm-oil-spill-clogs-coast
<p>‘White, oily substance’ arising from ship collision lines the shores amid increasing concerns about pollution and rubbish</p><p>Ten busy Hong Kong beaches were closed on Sunday after palm oil spilled from a ship collision in mainland Chinese waters.</p><p>Photographs showed styrofoam-like clumps lining the shores, while the waters at a fishing village popular with tourists were seen covered in oil and rubbish.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/07/hong-kong-closes-busy-beaches-after-palm-oil-spill-clogs-coast">Continue reading...</a>Hong KongChinaAsia PacificPalm oilMon, 07 Aug 2017 00:35:18 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/07/hong-kong-closes-busy-beaches-after-palm-oil-spill-clogs-coastPhotograph: Jerome Favre/EPAPhotograph: Jerome Favre/EPAAgence France-Presse2017-08-07T00:35:18ZUltimate bogs: how saving peatlands could help save the planethttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/28/ultimate-bogs-how-saving-peatlands-could-help-save-the-planet
<p>They are one of the harshest environments on the planet and also one of the most important in terms of carbon storage. New research hopes to reveal the role these threatened bogs could play in the climate change story</p><p>Randy Kolka hands me a fist-sized clump of brownish-black material pulled up by an auger from a bog. It’s the color and texture of moist chocolate cake. When I look closely I can see filaments of plant material. This hunk of peat, pulled from two meters (7ft) below the surface, is about 8,000 years old. I’m holding plants that lived and died before the Egyptians constructed the pyramids and before humans invented the wheel. In my hand is history. And carbon gold.</p><p>You have to find a solution, you can’t just tell people not to burn</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/28/ultimate-bogs-how-saving-peatlands-could-help-save-the-planet">Continue reading...</a>Greenhouse gas emissionsClimate changeConservationEnvironmentPalm oilMinnesotaIndonesiaFri, 28 Jul 2017 13:00:22 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/28/ultimate-bogs-how-saving-peatlands-could-help-save-the-planetPhotograph: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National LaboratoryPhotograph: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National LaboratoryJeremy Hance for Ensia2017-07-28T13:00:22ZPepsico, Unilever and Nestlé accused of complicity in illegal rainforest destructionhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destruction
<p>Palm oil plantations on illegally deforested land in Sumatra – home to elephants, orangutans and tigers – have allegedly been used to supply scores of household brands, says new report</p><p>Pepsico, Unilever and Nestlé have been accused of complicity in the destruction of Sumatra’s last tract of rainforest shared by elephants, orangutans, rhinos, and tigers together in one ecosystem.</p><p>Plantations built on deforested land have allegedly been used to supply palm oil to scores of household brands that also include McDonald’s, Mars, Kellogg’s and Procter &amp; Gamble, according to a new report.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destruction">Continue reading...</a>Palm oilDeforestationIndonesiaConservationTrees and forestsEnvironmentAsia PacificWorld newsEndangered speciesEndangered habitatsUnileverPepsicoNestléBusinessFri, 21 Jul 2017 16:30:09 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/21/pepsico-unilever-and-nestle-accused-of-complicity-in-illegal-rainforest-destructionPhotograph: Sutanta Aditya / Barcroft ImagesPhotograph: Sutanta Aditya / Barcroft ImagesArthur Neslen2017-07-21T16:30:09ZHSBC triggers investigation into palm oil company over deforestation allegationshttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/17/hsbc-investigation-palm-oil-company-deforestation-allegations-noble-plantations
<p>NGOs praise the bank’s move as they step up pressure on investors to stand by environmental and social commitments on palm oil</p><p>HSBC has triggered an investigation into Noble Plantations following allegations the company was preparing to clear thousands of hectares of rainforest in Papua for oil palm cultivation.</p><p>In a decision hailed as a first by a major bank, HSBC has asked the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a sustainability body for the palm oil industry, to investigate the claims.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/17/hsbc-investigation-palm-oil-company-deforestation-allegations-noble-plantations">Continue reading...</a>Guardian sustainable businessPalm oilEnvironmentPapua New GuineaDeforestationHSBCBNP ParibasBankingBusinessConservationEuropean banksFinancial sectorTrees and forestsMon, 17 Jul 2017 06:00:43 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/17/hsbc-investigation-palm-oil-company-deforestation-allegations-noble-plantationsPhotograph: Yudhi Mahendra/MightyPhotograph: Yudhi Mahendra/MightyLaura Paddison2017-07-17T06:00:43ZExclusiva: investigaciones revelan que, en todo el mundo, están asesinando más que nunca a los defensores del medio ambientehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/14/exclusiva-investigaciones-revelan-que-en-todo-el-mundo-estan-asesinando-mas-que-nunca-a-los-defensores-del-medio-ambiente
<p>Cada semana muere por causas violentas una media de cuatro ecologistas, guardas forestales y dirigentes indígenas, y en todo el mundo crece la sensación de que “cualquiera puede matar a los defensores del medio ambiente sin sufrir las consecuencias”</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/13/environmental-defenders-being-killed-in-record-numbers-globally-new-research-reveals">Lean esta historia en inglés</a> </p><p>El año pasado fue el más peligroso de la historia para las personas que defienden las tierras de su comunidad, los recursos naturales y la fauna; las últimas investigaciones revelan que cada semana mueren asesinados casi cuatro defensores del medio ambiente en todo el mundo.</p><p>En 2016 murieron 200 ecologistas, guardas forestales y dirigentes indígenas que intentaban defender sus tierras, según el grupo de vigilancia Global Witness, más del doble de los asesinados hace cinco años.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/14/exclusiva-investigaciones-revelan-que-en-todo-el-mundo-estan-asesinando-mas-que-nunca-a-los-defensores-del-medio-ambiente">Continue reading...</a>Environmental activismEnvironmentWorld newsProtestLand rightsMiningPalm oilLogging and land-clearingFri, 14 Jul 2017 10:15:44 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/14/exclusiva-investigaciones-revelan-que-en-todo-el-mundo-estan-asesinando-mas-que-nunca-a-los-defensores-del-medio-ambientePhotograph: Marvin Recinos/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Marvin Recinos/AFP/Getty ImagesJonathan Watts y John Vidal2017-07-14T10:15:44Z